Lowndes County prepares for heavy rain

LOWNDES COUNTY, GA (WALB) - The Withlacoochee River is inching dangerously close to the bridge across Skipper Bridge Road. Lowndes County Officials have teamed up with the Department of Transportation to monitor the levels of rising rivers across the county and keep drivers safe.

Paige Dukes, Lowndes County's Public Information Officer, says, "We could have some issues where water is going to overcome our infrastructure, and they need to be very careful."

This year, severe weather has arrived early. Typically, county workers don't have to worry about heavy rainfall until hurricane season in June. This year, it's not even April and the rains are here.

Workers are keeping a close eye on bridges throughout Lowndes. "Right now they're measuring the height of the water and they're calling that information in to the Department of Transportation," says Dukes. "We do have those officials that are very active in the county taking a look at the water situation."

Lowndes County is expected to receive five inches of rain, but it's not only the rainfall in Lowndes that the county is worried about.

"The rain that falls in the counties and areas north of us is also going to have a tremendous impact. Not immediately, but as that water filters down, we'll see the river levels continue to rise," says Ahley Tye, the county's Emergency Management Director.

Lowndes has placed engineering staff at eight bridges across the county. Because of their on-going preparation efforts, emergency workers are prepared for whatever Mother Nature has in store.

"We've got additional public works crews on standby, making sure that we have adequate supplies like sandbags, barricades, road closed signs," adds Tye.

Lowndes County Officials say they feel well-prepared. They remind citizens to be cautious, and to steer clear of roads and bridges filled with ANY level of water.